You don't need the cradle; IMHO it's not worth it. It looks cool, but its functions - charging and USB connection - can just as easily be done with the cords that are already included with the reader. It's not like you'll need to spend much time charging the battery

I'd say that lumi has the general gist of the matter: you don't really need the cradle to use any function of the Reader, but some do find it a convenience not to have to futz with getting everything plugged in correctly. The cradle does offer a very visible charge indicator light,as the clear plastic part is lit when it's charging, and is visible from several meters away even in a lit room.

I'd say the real answer to your question of should you get one, is probably the counter question of how much do you, personally, value those conveniences?

I think you'll be happy with the cradle. It works with or without a cover on the Reader, and it really is a feel-good item. Personally, I love docks and cradles instead of plugging in wire connectors. I probably would only connect my Reader to the PC when absolutely necessary if I didn't have it. But with a cradle, it's simple and aesthetically pleasing.

And that white glow when it's charging is really cool! ;-)

As mentioned by the others, however, it is most certainly not necessary, and some people even prefer just to use the two wires (USB connector and the A/C adapter) anyway. A cradle really does need a permanent spot on your desktop!

If you're going for accessories, to my mind the #1 would be a leather case rather than the cradle. Not only does it provide much better protection for the Reader than the supplied vinyl cover, and look good too, but you can also get hours of pleasure from sniffing it .

If you're going for accessories, to my mind the #1 would be a leather case rather than the cradle. Not only does it provide much better protection for the Reader than the supplied vinyl cover, and look good too, but you can also get hours of pleasure from sniffing it .

I don't have a cradle, but when I first bought the reader I thought it would be useful because I would be updating RSS feeds every day. I soon found out the RSS feature is implemented poorly and don't use it at all.